


Bath Time

by Onlyafraidoffear



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Gajeel secretly likes it, Grooming, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Metalicana cares, Parent-Child Relationship, embarrassing parents, this was funny in my head
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlyafraidoffear/pseuds/Onlyafraidoffear
Summary: Gajeel's reunion with Metalicana does not go quite as he would have preferred. He was too old for his Dad to groom him dammit!
Kudos: 4





	Bath Time

**Author's Note:**

> I was really annoyed when the dragons came back and Metalicana was this big, tough guy (dragon) who didn't want to show open affection and I felt like it was a missed opportunity. I mean- why not have him gush over Gajeel like 'my little baby' just to embarrass him? This was my attempt at rectifying this!

"So that's him. That's Metalicana." Panther Lily mused out loud as he took in the mountain of metal plates that made up his partner's father.

On the other side of Gajeel, Levy piped up awestruck at the sight of four real life dragons," So that's your dad?"

The Iron Dragon Slayer ignored both of them in favor of staring down the bucket of bolts that was his deadbeat Dad.

Metalicana stared back before he finally broke his silence," You look like you just ate rust."

"WELL SO DO YOU!" Gajeel shouted indignantly (first time the useless hunk of junk sees him in almost fifteen years and that's all he has to say?!).

The dragon huffed and if he was able to wrinkle his nose he would have," And you smell like a sewer."

"Oh give it a- "Gajeel realized exactly what was about to happen a second to late, when his foster father's head swooped down and grabbed him by the scruff of what was left of his clothes.

He immediately twisted and fought the hold while emphatically protesting, "PUT ME DOWN! I AIN'T A PIP ANYMORE-!"

"You need a bath."

"I CAN DO IT MYSELF- _PUT ME DOWN!"_

The dragon ignored his son's protest and settled his brat between his paws and gave him a long lick.

"Stop squirming." He ordered impatiently.

"I'm too old for this shit dammit-!" Gajeel tried to protest but Metalicana just licked over his face and continued on his way.

Around them everyone started snickering at the dragon slayer's plight, the loudest of which being the visiting dragon slayers.

"Oh, what an adorable little pip you are Gajeel!" Sting crowed, and though Rogue remained silent, those close enough could see his lip quivering as he held back his own laughter. "Wait til we tell Natsu that your dad still grooms you!"

"Tall words from someone who needs his own bath." Weisslogia rumbled in amusement, taking pleasure in the way his son's eyes widened in panic as he reached over and snatched him up.

"Hey! What're you-?!" The White Dragon Slayer tried to protest.

Gajeel let out a loud mocking laugh," What were you gonna tell the Strawberry? Not so tough now you little- " A light nip to his shoulder interrupted him.

"Behave yourself." Metalicana ordered, pleased when his child grudgingly fell quiet.

Grandeeney tutted in mock disapproval," How do you expect them to grow up when you insist on treating them like pips?"

Wendy sheepishly piped up, twisting her hands in her shirt," Uh- Mommy?" She asked quietly, pleased when her mother turned back to her.

"Yes, my little one?" The Sky Dragon asked in concern.

"Um… well- could you- I mean would you mind- "The shy bluenette stuttered, unable to get the words out, but thankfully the dragon understood.

"Oh, of course my little love." The female dragon cooed, and scooped up Wendy, who happily let her mother groom her.

Down the line of dragons, a furious Gajeel finally escaped his father's clutches. "OKAY OKAY- I'M CLEAN NOW LET IT GO!" He snapped, somewhere between furious and embarrassed, his hair even more of a mess than it usually it was.

Metalicana looked him up and down and snorted," It'll have to do."

The Iron Dragon Slayer turned and snapped at the visibly amused Rogue," How come you didn't get one too?'

Skiadrum let out a grating laugh that sounded akin to nails on a chalkboard," Good question Dragon Slayer- I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Rogue didn't try to fight his foster father as he joined the rest of them in an impromptu grooming session. "And here I was hoping to avoid this."

The Shadow Dragon laughed once again," You've had your sweets, now take your sours."

"Yes sir."

oOOOOo

Later on, Gajeel was laying on a low wall in the middle of the park.

His father had returned just to die on him.

"Hey Gajeel." Shrimp said cautiously," Do you wanna talk?"

He was about to say no, when he thought about it for a second," I don't know what to talk about." He admitted quietly.

Levy sat down next to him and took one of his hands in hers," That's alright." She assured him," You don't have to talk about anything. But if or when you know what you want to talk about… well I'm here for you."

"… I know I said I didn't like it when he groomed me, but… damn it I'm glad he did." He confessed," Grooming is how dragons say they care; it's something that only mates or parents with their pips do. We were never ones for mushy 'I love yous' but grooming me was how that old rustbucket showed me that he cared."

The bluenette squeezed his hand. "Gajeel… I won't claim that I know what Metalicana was thinking, but I would have to be blind if I didn't see just how much he loved you. He didn't want to die without making sure that you knew it too."

"…thanks Shrimp."

"No thanks necessary. I'm always here if you need someone to lean on."

"I'll keep that in mind."

**Author's Note:**

> This... all I wanted when I drafted this fic was a lighthearted, hilarious piece, and this somehow turned out to be really sad from my point of view. I've had this headcannon for ages that the dragons carried their young by the scruff, so I just have this mental image of Natsu being a brat and Gajeel just coming over and picking him up and Natsu screaming 'I'M NOT A BABY DON'T TREAT ME LIKE ONE'! Or of one or both of them grabbing Wendy by the scruff and carrying her away from danger. And grooming their young like this was also a no brainer. This was an experiment in going outside my usual comfort zone for writing: what did you think?
> 
> Did I do good? Did I really bungle it? Please tell me!


End file.
